Crazy in Love
by Mrs. Hotchner-Wolfe
Summary: When someone you love dies, do you go crazy because of the loss or because deep down you know there's more then meets the eye? Read on to find out. Ratings may rise
1. Chapter 1

Morgan looked across at his boss. Hotch was staring out the window, as he had done for all of the journey home, apart from when he took time to look down at his hands. Morgan wondered if he was looking at his hands for Kate's blood from when he was plugging the wounds or looking for her hand that made the cold in his hands.

Morgan wished he could do something for Hotch. He knew how much he had cared about Kate and he used that against him. And the fact that a friend of Kate's had taken their daughter, Lara, back to England to Kate's parents before Hotch had a chance to even say good-bye was the final straw. Morgan would never have known about this little girl had he not seen Hotch, Kate and the little girl together in a diner. The little girl had her arms wrapped around Hotch. As they drove out of New York, Morgan asked Hotch about her. Too tired to think of an answer, Hotch told him the truth: he and Hailey had been separated, Gideon sent him on a case that would take a while, he met Kate, they had a relationship and had a beautiful little girl who had grown up to have Kate's accent, but Hotch's eyes, and cheeks and nose.

Hotch's eye's grew as he and Morgan neared his house. Morgan eyed him curiously. As he pulled to a stop he said, "You want me to come in?"

"No, I can manage… Thank you, Derek…" He quickly grabbed his bag and hurried into the house. He dropped his bag on the floor, and ran into all the downstairs rooms before tackling the stairs, three at a time. He slowed as he approached his bedroom. There she stood by the window. She turned and smiled, walking over to him. He quickened his steps and soon she was securely in his arms, lips locked. "Kate…" he said, when they finally pulled away.

"Don't speak."

"You were dead, I saw you. I held your hand… I tried to stop your bleeding from your back-"

"Aaron, please don't… We'll talk in the morning."

They did talk in the morning, about everything except what had happened over the last few days. They talked about their daughter and the regrets they had over the years wasted apart.

For over a week they didn't have to leave the house. Hotch stroked her hair one afternoon. They were in their silence, just alone with each other. "When will we get Lara back?" he asked, kissing her nose.

Kate looked up at him. The happiness that had been in her eyes darkened. "Aaron… we're not."

"What are you talking about? All that has to be in the world is you, me, and Lara."

Kate tightened her grip on him. "…Aaron…" She glanced outside. Hotch followed her gaze. The sun that had previously been shining was now darkened by clouds. He followed her gaze to the floor where their clothes were no where to be seen. "Aaron, I have to go…"

He looked down, and saw that he was wearing the same suit he had been wearing the week before. He took a deep breath as reality hit and tears came to his eyes. "This isn't real, is it?" The tears grew worse as he spoke those words.

Kate shook her head. "No… I'm sorry." She wiped away the single tear that he had let escape him.

"You are really dead?" She nodded. "So this is…?"

"You holding on to me… not wanting to let me go… Aaron, you have to let me go…"

"No… No… I'll just hold onto you… or, or…"

"You can't… That's why Lara's not with you. So you be holding onto me… As long as you are I'll always be here and I can't be here… I'm sorry."

Hotch had been oblivious to the doorbell ringing, but was not oblivious to the blonde communications liaison's voice that was down the hall.

He looked down, but he was alone in the room. He suddenly heard JJ's voice in the room with him. "Hotch…" she said quietly. Hotch turned and swung his legs over the bed, to dry his eyes.

"I'll be down in a minute."

JJ hesitated before leaving. He looked down at his clothes and slowly changed, throwing them on the bed.

He slowly made his way downstairs. He took in the mess his house was in: empty Chinese take-away cartons and pizza boxes strew around the living room, he bag and jacket on the floor. He covered his face with his hands.

"Hey… we've been trying to reach you… what you been doin'?" Morgan asked.

"I've been busy…"

"Yeah… you're gonna need some different food… I'm gonna raid your kitchen…" JJ said already making her way in there.

"JJ," he began but Morgan held up his hand.

"Don't Hotch… We're taking care of you for a while…"

Hotch had no choice but to let them. He grabbed his cell. "I'll be right back." He found the number he wanted. "Hello?" came a greeting.

"Sean, it's Aaron…" He took a deep breath and willed his tears back. "I really need someone, Sean."


	2. Chapter 2

Sean agreed to go to DC to see Aaron. He wasn't sure what was going on. His big brother hadn't told him much; just that he was having a hard time recovering from what had happened after New York.

Aaron never called him unless he desperately needed help which was close to never. When he arrived later the next day, the front door was unlocked. Aaron was sleeping on the couch when Sean walked in. He opened his eyes, revealing them to be red and puffy.

Sean knew his older brother had been crying, something he never did before, not since the first time their father came home drunk and beat him and their mother.

Aaron sat up. "Thanks for coming." Sean pushed Aaron down the couch and sat next to him, pulling his big brother into a hug. Aaron soon fell back to sleep. When he woke up again, a rich, spicy smell was coming from the kitchen. He stood up, stretched and walked into the kitchen. Sean was standing with his back to him by the cooker. He turned when his brother walked into the room and sat at the counter. He put his head in his hands and groaned.

"Feeling better?" Sean asked. He got no response. "Want to talk about it?"

Aaron looked at him. "It's complicated."

"You called me here for a reason, Aaron… now talk." Still no response. "Damn it Aaron!"

"Look, Sean… There are things I've done… I'm not proud of but they happened…"

"Like…" Sean urged.

"I had an affair a few years back…" Sean was shocked. This was not the brother he knew.

"With the woman who died?"

"Yes…"

"How did…?"

"It doesn't matter. We had a little girl…"

"Aaron, start from the beginning."

He took a deep breath. "There was a case in London. Kate was the new young lead. The guy was acquitted; came here. Kate followed him. She was here for a while and… one thing led to another. She knew about Hailey. When she got pregnant, she agreed to stay in the States so I could see our child. We both knew I couldn't leave Hailey… When Kate died, Lara had to go to her grandparents in London."

"And you called because you miss them?" C'mon Aaron, I know you better than that."

"I saw her," he said slowly.

"Who?"

"Kate… After she died, I came back here… I really believed she was with me… I could smell and feel and taste her… she was there… I'm scared Sean."

"Have you told anyone else about this?"

"No… Sean, what am I gonna do?"

"Maybe you should tell this to your doctor… Maybe it has to do with your ear…"

"And if it doesn't? I'm going crazy and the only people who can help me are either dead or across the Atlantic Ocean and then some."

"Aaron… is there anything I can do?"

"No… Sean, I'm sorry, I know you must be busy… I shouldn't have asked you to come down here."

"Aaron, you are my big brother… You are always there for me and the few times you need me I'll be there."

"Thanks…" He sat up as Sean dished up their dinner. "You know I don't think I've slept as much as I have this last week…"

"So something goods coming from your craziness."

For the next few days, Sean and Aaron talked like real brothers. Seam cooked dinner and after, Aaron kicked his ass at poker. It felt like they were teenagers again.

One day, Sean made a bold decision. Leaving a note for Aaron on the counter saying he needed some ingredients, Sean took the car keys and drove to the FBI training academy at Quantico.

He walked quickly through double doors and walked into the bullpen. He scanned the room quickly. He found the man he was looking for: Derek Morgan. He made his way to the small group he was surrounded by. He broke away from his co workers and met Sean half way.

"Sean." He extended his arm. Sean took his hand and shook.

"Yeah… Derek, right?"

"Yeah, visiting your brother?"

"Yeah… Aaron's actually why I'm here… Can I talk to you for a minute in private?"

"Sure. Aaron's office is empty, we can use that." Sean followed Morgan up to Hotch's office. Morgan closed the door. "What's up?"

"Aaron… called me. He asked me to come."

"He's having a tough time… needs a family, that's all."

"He told me about that agent that died… how they had a child… He told me that, when he came back from New York, he believed that he was with her, that he could actually feel her. When I got here, he'd been crying. Aaron's never cried, not even when our dad died… Look, I'm just worried about him… Aaron's always been sure of what was happening and now…"

"What can we do to help?"

"I was hoping you had the answer."

There was a knock on the door. A blonde woman walked in. "Um Morgan, we got a case."

"Be right there Jage…" Once she was gone Morgan turned back to Sean. "Look man… leave it with me. I'll figure something out."

"I appreciate it…"

Three nights later, Aaron got an unexpected call from Morgan. "Hotch, we're headed out to the bar… why not come?"

"Thanks Morgan but Sean's in town so…"

"Bring him with you… c'mon man… you need to get out if the house."

"Sorry, Morgan…"

"Alright. You know where we are if you change your mind." He hung up.

Sean soon walked into the room. "Who was that?"

"Morgan. Wanted me to go out for drinks with the team…"

"So let's go."

"Already told them I can't."

"Aaron, it's my last night in DC… let's go." Sean grabbed his jacket and left the house. Aaron soon followed.

They arrived at the bar. Sean soon joined in the conversations quickly. Hotch was only drifting in and out.

He suddenly felt eyes on him. He looked up. JJ had been looking at him but quickly looked away when he caught her.

"Can I talk to you outside for a sec?" she asked.

Hotch was surprised. "Ok…" He grabbed his jacket and walked outside. JJ followed him.

"What's up?"

"Hotch… Sean stopped by the BAU a few days ago…" Hotch's face darkened. "… He was worried about you, he confided in Morgan… I made Morgan tell me."

"JJ… I'm not crazy."

"I know… it was probably just a grieving process… but it could get worse so I need to tell you something… I don't even know if it is a something… but you should know in case…."

"JJ, what are you talking about?"

JJ took a deep breath. "She's alive Hotch… Kate's alive."


	3. Chapter 3

Aaron's head swam as he took in the information JJ was giving him. For the first time in his life, he felt such an intense anger swelling up inside of him that made him scared of what he might do.

He shook his head and turned to walk off.

"Hotch… didn't you hear me? Kate's alive."

"JJ… thank you. I appreciate the gesture of trying to make me feel better but, that really isn't helping."

JJ moved in front of him. "Will you at least let me explain this to you?"

Aaron raised his eyebrows, allowing her to continue. JJ took a deep breath. "After that night in New York, I went back to the field office to get my purse… Shelly was in Kate's office, she'd been crying… they'd obviously been close… Shelly said my purse was put into storage with Kate's belongings, they thought it was hers. I waited in the office while she ran down to get it… I knocked over some files. There was an e-mail printout… I'm not proud of it but when I saw the sender's name I was curious… Hotch, it gave details… about where to pick up a new identity, a new name, new life… Kate's in the Witness Protection Programme."

Aaron was stunned. He knew JJ well enough to know she would never make anything this hurtful up. But none of it made sense. He shook his head. "Who was the sender?"

"Hotch…"

"No, JJ… who was the sender?" There was a long pause. "JJ!" JJ jumped.

"…Strauss…It was Strauss."

The door to the bar opened. Sean stepped out. "Hey… hate to interrupt but my flights kinda early in the morning sooo…."

"Yeah, sure… we were just… talking." JJ smiled, said her goodbye and walked back inside.

They got back to the house. "I'm gonna call it a night." Aaron hurried to the steps.

"Whoa, Aaron… what's up?" Sean asked, concerned.

"Nothing…"

"What were you and JJ talking about?"

"Nothing…"

"Ok, listen, when you give short answers like that, it generally means you're hiding something."

"It's complicated…"

"I don't like the idea of leaving you alone while you're still out of work…"

"I'm going back in a few days."

"Maybe I can call Hailey-"

"No," Aaron replied shortly.

"Well-"

"Sean, I don't want to see Hailey right now… I'm gonna be in and out of the office for a few days to sort out some stuff… I'll be kept busy."

"Alright… Night big bro."

"Goodnight."

The next day, Aaron drove Sean to the airport. They shook hands. "So call me when you land, alright?"

"If you call me when you need me."

"Thanks for coming…"

"Aaron, I mean it… I'm only four and a half hours away…"

"I know…"

Sean walked away, leaving Aaron alone in the crowded airport.

Part of him was glad to be alone... there were things he needed to take care of.

He drove as fast as he could to Quantico. He took the elevator to the sixth floor and made a beeline for Erin Strauss' s office. He walked in without knocking, interrupting a phone call.

"Agent Hotchner, do you mind?" Aaron made no movement. "I'll call you back." She hung up the phone. "That was a very important phone-"

"Is Kate Joyner in witness protection?" Strauss's eyes grew wide. She was in silence. "Is that a yes?"

"I don't know where you are getting information from, Agent Hotchner, but I suggest you forget everything about that conversation."

"I'd rather not…"

"Agent Hotchner…"

"Please, Ma'am… I've shown you so much respect even after you tried to tear apart my team… Please, all I'm asking for is a simple yes or no?"

"…yes."

Aaron's heart stopped. "I need to know…"

"I guess you do deserve an explanation… It won't be the best you can get… Have a seat." Aaron did as he was told. "When Kate Joyner contacted me, all she said was that a case she thought was over has come back with one main objective… to get revenge on her. She explained that this was the case that you two had worked on together. She knew that if she was in danger, you would be in it too… so she asked for my help to make her disappear. She knew the possibility of her being greatly injured and…"

"Secret service…she's the person they were protecting?"

"Yes… Though it wasn't really secret service... it was our guys in the WPP."

"I held her hand… it was cold, she was dead… how?"

"Sodium Morphate…" Aaron took a deep breath. "Are you alright?"

"Where can I find her?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Kate, I want to see Kate. Where is she?"

"I can't tell you…"

"I don't care what you can and can't tell me. I _need _to know where she is. I need to see her. To know she's safe."

"Agent Hotchner…" she paused. "All in good time." She nodded.

Aaron didn't know what she had planned but knew he had to leave it play out. He nodded and walked out of the room, realising something. If Kate left for fear of her life, Aaron' life could be in danger too... and so could JJ's.


	4. Chapter 4

Hotch's next port of call was JJ. She had told him what she knew, he had to warn her. He made a beeline for her office, professionally waited outside her office until she was alone, then walked in and took a seat in front of the messily piled desk.

"You talk to Strauss?" she asked, licking an envelope.

"Yes."

"And?"

"I know you… please don't follow up on this…let me deal with it."

"Why?" JJ asked incredulously, though Hotch's look told her it would be best to do as she was told.

"It's dangerous, so just trust me?"

"Always…"

Hotch stood and walked out.

Months passed. Hotch and JJ never spoke of Kate. Not for the next five months. Through everything: the prospect of losing his hearing, Emily being beaten by Cyrus, Hotch doubting himself; hardly a word was spoken for pleasure rather then business. Nothing.

Cases came and went. On one particular day, JJ marched into the BAU round table room.

"Three weeks ago in Charlotte, North Carolina," she began, "three male friends had a night out on the town, two died, the other missing. A week later, the body turned up with two others who had been out with a third who was a female. The night before last, she was found with three other females... another woman's missing..."

"JJ," Hotch interrupted, "this came by my desk. The officers just wanted a consult... we aren't officially called in."

"I called them this morning... They want us."

"How did you get this file?"

JJ hesitated. "I... I found it.... Hotch, please, trust me on this. Please?" JJ hated begging to Aaron Hotchner... especially if it's for his own good.

Hotch sighed. "Alright... wheel's up in fifteen minutes." As the team filed out of the room, he turned to JJ. "I hope your right about this JJ."

"Oh, trust me... I am," JJ smiled. When she was alone, she took a deep breath. _Plan perfectly set in motion, _she thought as she left the room.

While JJ sat on the plane, she found it difficult to keep her smile off her face. No matter what she tried nothing worked. It didn't help that everyone was sitting in view of her.

Emily, who was sitting next to her, laughed. "What's got that smile on your face?"

JJ looked up. Everyone was looking at her. She shook her head. "I guess I'm just excited, is all." She sighed. "Don't we have a case to discuss?" she asked. The team all looked down at thei files, except Hotch. JJ could feel his eyes burning into her from across the table. She knew that if she looked at him, thoughts would fly into her head and she would burst. She bit her lip.

"So," Rossi began, "male or female?"

"Well, varied victims..." Morgan said.

"Could we be looking at someone who might be gay?" Emily asked. "Hates what he is, hates what he can't have."

"There are no signs of sexual abuse," Reid stated. "It could be that this is just one angry man."

"Oh, yeah, Dr. Reid. What are the figures for 'one angry man'? Emily asked smiling.

Rossi looked at Hotch, who was now deep in thought, looking at the pictures of the bloodied bodies. "You ok?"

Hotch looked up. "Wh- Yeah… Something's just… off."

"Ya think?" Morgan asked, not leaving out a trace of sarcasm.

Hotch glared. "Something's… familiar, that's all."

"An old killer trying to get back in the game?" Emily asked.

"Maybe."

"I will run a check on any and all similar murders that took place over the last… twenty years?" Garcia asked from the computer.

"Please," Hotch replied.

The pilot announced that they would soon be landing. Cleaning up the files and the game of snap that Morgan and Reid had been busy with before the discussion, the team settled into place. JJ started biting her finger to keep her excitement in as she stared at Hotch, unable to tear her eyes away. Unfortunately she was oblivious to the fact that both Morgan and Rossi were watching her curiously.


	5. Chapter 5

Rossi and Morgan decided to find out what was going on between Hotch and JJ. For months they had been keeping secrets with each other while at the same time, barely talking. Rossi decided to take Hotch, while Morgan asked JJ for a coffee.

While Reid and Emily were at the last victim's house, Rossi and Hotch took the firsts. Rossi decided to strike up a conversation. "So,. what's so familiar with this case?"

Hotch sighed and shook his head. "I don't know... I just have that feeling."

"Instinct?"

"No... something else. Something deeper."

"What's the deal with you and JJ?"

"What?"

"Something's going on with you and JJ..." Hotch eyed him confused. "She could barely take her eyes off you on the plane."

"I didn't notice."

"How could you not notice? Have you seen JJ?" Hotch chuckled. "Is that a smile?"

"Call it a wince... I love JJ, I do... as a friend. I consider her family. Besides, I'm pretty sure that if JJ had feelings for me, she would follow her heart despite Will and the baby... JJ has no feelings for me. And she knows I have no feelings for her!"

Rossi looked at him. "She ask you?"

Hotch straightened up. "No, she knows my hearts always been somewhere else."

"Where?"

Hotch stared at him. "Most people would have assumed Hailey."

"I know you too well. JJ isn't the only one who'd follow her heart. If you wanted to be with Hailey... if she was the only one who had your heart, you wouldn't be here right now. You would have given up the BAU a long time ago."

Hotch pulled his gaze away and looked around the room. "No profiling each other, remember?" he mumbled. He cleared his throat. "Well this was a waste of time."

_For you maybe... _Rossi thought to himself.

JJ smiled as she paid for her water and lemon. She and Morgan headed back to the office. Instead of subtly asking her, he decided to ask her straight out. "Do you have feelings for Hotch?"

JJ stared at him. "Excuse me?"

"Rossi and I say you staring at him on the plane."

JJ was speechless. She knew her excitement would get her into trouble. "I love Will. Not Hotch..."

"Then what's going on? Everyone knows you two have grown distant. Rossi's asking Hotch about it right now."

"Morgan, just stay out of it."

"No, you can't just tell me to stay out of this... now I know something's wrong."

"Hotch is being protective."

"Is he in danger?"

"No..." she replied unsure.

"Are you?"

"No... Morgan, as long as Hotch is around I'm safe." The look on his face was dissatisfaction. JJ sighed. _If he gets Garcia in this she'll be relentless. _"I'm just looking into something I shouldn't be."

"What?"

"Morgan!"

"JJ I want you to safe..."

JJ looked around. _Hotch'll protect me, but who'll protect him?_

"Come with me." She grabbed his arm and pulled at him. They arrived at the floor in time to see Rossi go into the men's room.

"JJ!" Morgan said when he realised where she was going. They entered the bathroom.

"What's going on?" Rossi exclaimed.

"I will tell you... both... tonight. I have to deal with something first.... I will tell you everything if, when Hotch asks where I am, you tell him I'm at the hotel to lie down, understood?"

The two men nodded adn JJ left, leaving them very surprised and confused.

JJ sat alone in the bar an hour later. The dark loud premises was not the place for a pregnant woman and she was glad she had a gun as well as a badge.

Finally a familiar woman with a familiar walk entered the bar. She looked no different with short black hair then she did with medium blonde hair. _Lame disguise. _The woman looked at her and walked over to her. Her eyes grew wide when she saw the bump.

"You must be desperate," came an American accent. "This is no place for a pregnant woman." She indicated the door. JJ stood, grateful that she was willing to be seen out in public with her.

In the Charlotte sunlight, JJ got a much better view of a black haired Kate Joyner.


	6. Chapter 6

The two women walked down to the sea wall where they grabbed ice-creams, then headed for the beach, the way old friends would.

Once they were seated, JJ's nice side faltered. "Spill!" she demanded.

"What's there to tell?" Kate replied in her American accent.

"Why would you go into witness protection when there is a guy who would do anything to protect you? He'd kill for you!"

"And he'd die for me. Which is something I don't want. If Aaron were to protect me, he'd be dead."

"You're not making any sense…"

Kate sighed. "What did he tell you?"

"Nothing…" Kate eyed her. "He told me not to follow up on this… to let him deal with it."

"So why are you doing this?"

"Because he loves you! How can you not see that? How can he not see that? He's tried to forget you." This piece of information made Kate wince. "He's nearly blocked you out completely. When he got back from New York, he started hallucinating you! He called his brother to DC, and when he got there, he found Aaron, lying on the sofa. He had been crying for days. Kate… I beg you, help him!"

"We worked a case together… a few years back… the guy was acquitted and came here. I followed but I couldn't find him…" Kate omitted the fact that, at this point Aaron's child that she was carrying, was also a pull factor for the States. "When were in New York, a few killings started happening around the US. I got scared that he'd be coming for me… I needed to get Aaron safe first. So I died!"

"He needs to see you."

"If he values his life at all, he doesn't."

"He doesn't… Listen, he has no life without you."

Kate had no response to that. She stared out to sea and breathed deeply. She smiled. "I can't. I'm sorry." She stood and walked away.

JJ sighed, knowing that there was no way she could change the stubborn Brits mind.

When she arrived back at the station, Hotch pounced. "Where've you been?"

JJ, disappointed with the outcome of her meeting which had put her into a bad mood. "Hotel."

"Is everything alright?"

JJ was in no mood for this in-team interrogation, so mustered up the dirtiest look she could and shot it his way. Rossi and Morgan knew it was a bad idea to badger JJ when she was in this mood, and Emily and Reid were surprised, as the mother to be was rarely angry.

Three days passed before JJ cooled down. She was the first to head back to the hotel on the third night. After a refreshing shower and a story to her unborn child, she headed straight for Morgan and Rossi's room. Knocking on both. When they opened she walked into Morgan's and indicated Rossi to follow. None of them noticed Hotch watching from the elevator.

Once in the room, JJ told everything, including her rendezvous with Kate. The two men stood, shocked. "How?"

JJ shrugged. She sighed and fell back on the bed. " We have to do something!" she said, exasperated.

Rossi glanced at her. "Is this why you were so adamant about taking the case?" JJ avoided his gaze. "How did you know Kate would be here?" JJ bit her lip. "JJ!"

"Ok… I kinda snooped around a bit… Does it matter? We have to get Kate and Hotch together… It's the only way to keep him sane!"

Rossi and Morgan looked at each other. "Jage…" Morgan began. "Why don't you go get some sleep… leave all the thinking up to us."

JJ nodded. She knew there was no way she could fool Hotch. She closed the door behind her and closed her eyes. When she opened them, standing right next to her, was Hotch.


	7. Chapter 7

_Give your Mommy a hard time for me now, baby, _JJ willed her unborn child, as she walked in the door Hotch held open for her. She sighed as she walked in. She knew how much trouble she was in. Hotch did not like secrets that put his team in danger. JJ wondered how long he had been standing outside the door and how much he had heard.

"What are you up to?" he demanded.

"Nothing," she replied innocently.

"Don't lie to me."

JJ winced. "How much did you hear?"

"What does that matter?"

"Maybe I don't need to tell you anything," she said, as she sat on a bed.

"I know you told them about… the Witrness Protection Program… and then I could hear Rossi say your name, so I'm assuming you did something bad."

"Why did you just say Witness Protection? You didn't say about who was in Witness Protection. How much haven't you told me?"

"Enough to keep you safe."

"How much danger is she really in?"

"Enough… JJ-"

"Did you know she's here? In Charlotte?"

Hotch glared at her. "You shouldn't have seen her."

JJ didn't see anger in Hotch's eyes… it was fear. For who, she was about to find out. "The case you two worked on together… the guy who was acquitted… Is this him?"

"It might be…"

Before realising what she was doing, JJ was pounding his chest with her fists. Hotch grabbed her by the wrists and stopped her. "GET HER OUT OF THE WPP!" she pleaded. "If she's in danger, she's safest with you, Hotch, get her out!"

"I've tried. But it's not that simple… When I told Strauss about the connection, she said it was too dangerous, that we couldn't pull her out."

There was a knock on the door. Hotch opened it. Rossi and Reid were there, Morgan and Emily at the elevators.

"There's been another abduction. PD went to the house, the place was thrashed."

"Home invasion?" JJ asked, coming beside Hotch.

Emily shook her head. "No… It's strange… The vic was taken in public as usual, but Connors is at her house and he says she bears no resemblance to the others."

"How so?" Hotch asked, as they joined Morgan and Reid.

"The victim's has black hair, not blonde… and she's single. Both unlike the other women…"

JJ stopped. "Where was she abducted from?"

"Uh, Coral Pier."

JJ looked up at Hotch. That one look told him everything: Kate was in trouble.


	8. Chapter 8

"Can't you go any faster!?" JJ asked from the front seat of the black SUV that she was in with Hotch, Emily and Reid.

"JJ, I'm trying believe me," Hotch replied exasperated. This was the fifth time she asked.

JJ had raced to the nearest SUV, with Hotch following. Rossi had told Emily and Reid to go with them to the abduction site while he and Morgan went to the house. Confused, Emily and Reid agreed.

They decided not to question the exchange between the communications liaison and their boss.

"JJ, there won't be any evidence-"

"I have to do something! This is my fault. If I had stayed out of it then…"

Hotch pulled into the pier.

"What's going on?" Reid asked.

JJ and Hotch looked at each other. "Kate Joyner's still alive… She's in the WPP. Our unsub has her."

"How can you be so sure?" Emily asked.

Hotch explained about the case in London and how Kate had become personal to the unsub. Something hit JJ… something Morgan had told her. She grabbed Hotch's arm. "If the Unsub has Kate then…?"

_Where's my daughter?_

"Let's just figure out where he's taken her."

An hour passed and no clues. No tire threads, no evidence of a struggle, nothing. Just as he was about to give up, The Goddess of Technology rang Hotch's phone. "I just got a call from a woman. She said that Walter Whitmore has her and to get you there fast… she left but she kept the connection going… I lost it three minutes ago, but it was long enough to et co-ordinates." She gave Hotch the directions.

The team met at an old abandoned warehouse. JJ stayed out with Emily. The team ran as fast as they could all over the warehouse. They found Kate on the top floor, pointing a gun at the unsub. The unsub had a gun in one hand and what looked like a detonator in the other.

"NO!!!" he screamed.

"Walter… forget them… Do you really want to kill us?" Kate asked, her American accent not faltering. "Talk to me… What do you want?"

"YOU."

"Ok… then I'm here… I'm here, and we can talk. And you can talk to your sister too-"

"NO… I'm gonna kill her!"

Kate looked at Hotch quickly, trying to tell him not to shoot. "Walter, you can't without killing me too… Let Kate go… she's gone… It's just you and me… from now on…" Kate nodded her head eagerly and smiled. She could tell she was getting through to him. "Put away the detonator and-"

"She has to put the gun down…"

"I'll put the gun down… Kate never has to come back. Not for anything."

She raised both her hands and let the gun drop from her hands. She smiled as it fell but, when it was seconds from the floor, she dove, grabbed the gun, aimed it at a couple of barrels of petrol to her left and fired. Kate and the unsub, the closest to the barrels, were knocked across the room, while Hotch, Rossi, reid and Morgan were only pushed a few steps back by the force.

Hotch and Morgan ran for Kate; Rossi and Reid grabbed the unsub. After the pulling the logs off of her, the four men, and two injured raced for the door and made it out before the building exploded.

**This chapter will be better explained in the next and final chapter. **


	9. Chapter 9

**Jumping out of the shower, Hotch quickly got dressed in his warm, casual clothes and hurried downstairs. Hotch loved Christmas, normally, but he knew that this year would be the best… would beat all others. This year he was going to be spending it with his wife and children, all the while planning for the baby that was due in late January.**

**He patted his daughter and son on the head as they played cards, waiting for Hailey to arrive and take Jack back home after the weekend. He made a beeline for the sofa where Kate was reading to the baby. He didn't know how she could do it… Reading aloud to himself always felt weird.**

**For the few minutes that Kate was conscious after the explosion, she explained that Walter Whitmore was her twin brother, but because she was very sick as a child, her parents had to focus on her and couldn't afford two children so put Walter up for adoption. He had been looking everywhere for her. She had known none of this until a few months ago.**

**After she was kidnapped, she had managed to convince him she was someone else and he had fallen in love with her other personality. When he had left her alone she escaped the basement room she had been kept in, found a phone and rang Quantico. She didn't want him killed… It wasn't his fault. He was just very angry.**

**A week late Kate returned to England with Hotch, where they collected their daughter. There were many shocked faces around when they saw the dead walking. After keeping things friendly for a few days, they got back together and got married three months later, much to the surprise of everyone. No one knew that they were married until JJ spotted the band on Kate's finger.**

**No one cared. The bottom line was that they were happy and no one was having any hallucinations anymore.**

**When Hotch introduced his wife and child to Jack and Hailey, he was surprised at how welcoming they were. Now Kate and Hailey are best friends, as are Jack and Lara.**

**Kate looked up and smiled. Hotch kissed her, not needing to worry about the future.**


End file.
